


if you wanna be more to me (you must proceed with caution)

by lurKINGaroundd



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Identity Reveal, Idiots in Love, Inspired by Music, Light Angst, MJ is a BAMF but also a soft romantic heroine, MJ is whipped, Mariah Carey - Caution, Peter is whipped, Pining, Romance, upside-down kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-28
Updated: 2019-01-28
Packaged: 2019-10-18 09:07:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17577947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lurKINGaroundd/pseuds/lurKINGaroundd
Summary: MJ wasn’t one to wait, and she didn’t want to think that only for Peter she would wait, no doubt. She didn’t want to think about it, because it was true.So for him, she waits.Never too late you can come throughI'll be up waitingI don't want nobody but you





	if you wanna be more to me (you must proceed with caution)

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! This was inspired by the song Caution from Mariah Carey. Listen to it while reading if you want. 
> 
> (I've been listening to Mariah's new album since it came out, and for some reason, they're part of my spideychelle playlist because I'm always listening to this album while writing or reading petermj. I love it.)
> 
> I hope it's good enough. Enjoy!

MJ wasn’t one to wait, and she didn’t want to think that only for Peter she would wait, no doubt. She didn’t want to think about it, because it was true. 

So for him, she waits.

_Never too late you can come through  
I'll be up waiting  
I don't want nobody but you _

Who would’ve thought that movie nights could be so thrilling? Michelle certainly didn’t. In the end, she discovered that the presence of one Ned Leeds was the thing that kept them in place, safe, but unfortunately, far from where they wanted to go.

Where did they want to go?

When Peter’s hand shyly touched her, his face still facing the TV screen, MJ started to get an idea about where they were headed.

Still shy, but more sure, Peter finally embraced her hand, holding it. Like a man, if you will, but she wasn’t a fan of such an outdated expression.

_No hesitating_

Now, something more than their lurking, suspicious feelings for each other connected them. Their hands connected, and it was nothing, really, but it felt like everything. It was so much more real than stolen glances coming from miles away.

She didn’t take her eyes off the screen either, feeling the emotion only through the touch. Skin against skin, as if Michelle feared that taking one look at their hands touching would be a vision enough to keep her awake at night.

As if Peter’s existence wasn’t already enough to take all her sleep out of her body.

A part of Michelle didn’t want to think of this simple gesture as something important, the other part of her was already beaming with excitement. Eventually, she came in terms with herself, being too self-aware to ignore that she’s been waiting for something like that for too long to pretend not to care.

Making peace with herself, MJ made the next move, bringing herself more closer to him on the couch. There was nothing stopping her, not the presence of another friend, not the presence of an aunt, and so she felt free to snuggle with him, to feel the warm of his body.

When Michelle finally looked at him, she saw Peter smiling at her, and she couldn’t describe his facial features with any word that didn’t scream how gone she was.

It was beyond soft, she concluded. And they were finally going places, MJ dared to hope. 

She hoped, and that feeling only lasted for a brief minute, for his yodeling ringtone completely ruined the romance cloud looming above them.

As soon as Peter looked at his phone, he didn’t think twice, and let go of her immediately.

Michelle felt cold, and she thought about how she should’ve brought a jacket, or a blanket. She definitely didn’t need him to keep her warm. 

Well, she didn’t need Peter to keep her warm, but it seemed that he knew exactly how to leave her cold, since that was how she felt after he left, his last words being nothing more than stupid lies. 

It wasn’t even the winter, she didn’t have a reason to feel so cold.

_'Cause every time you leave I fall apart  
Boy you're the missing pieces of my heart _

It wasn’t fair.

It’s been a long time since Peter was barely at school. If he was there, his mind wasn’t, too preoccupied with things other than high school.

And it wasn’t fair to Michelle, that now Peter seemed to be everywhere in the damned building. 

She didn’t know better, so she ran from him the best she could, avoiding him and Ned, the only close friends she had.

By the end of the day, Peter managed to catch her before she went home, and MJ almost commented; it’s as if you have super powers, but she refrained herself.

He didn’t explain himself, from the moves he made on her last night, and to how he completely left her without a decent explanation.

Michele understood now, there was indeed something happening, if the red of Peter’s cheeks out of embarrassment was any clue. 

They were moving.

And instead of delivering any explanations, or more excuses, with that blush showing on his face, Peter asked her to be his date to prom. 

Michelle wanted to scream, because she’s been waiting for this for so long. She wanted that, she wanted that obviously overrated moment of the american teenage life, with the stupid boy she liked, at a lame high school dance.

_And I try to let you go but you resist and pull me back  
And I try to be alone but you persist, I've met my match _

Of course Michelle accepted to go to prom with Peter Parker, and when her big sister offered to do her hair and make-up in a fancy way, she only feigned to be disgusted with the idea for a few minutes before letting her sister get her all dolled up.

Turns out, her big sister was a real hero, offering her beautiful shiny silver party dress for MJ to wear.

All of that wasn’t exactly Michelle’s thing, but it was pretty fun to play dress-up for one night. She wasn’t planning to win Peter’s heart with looks, but making him gasp would be funny, so why not? 

Maybe she was being a little narcissist for a moment, but she figured that if her journalism thing doesn’t work out, she would try her luck in the cruel and terrifying model industry, because she really looked that good.

Peter didn’t gasp when he saw her all dressed-up, but MJ had a pretty strong inkling that he stopped breathing for a few seconds. 

“You look really beautiful.” He managed to say, being able to breathe again.

Michelle looked at him, and she wondered how they looked together. She wasn’t a fashion expert, but she could tell that Peter’s suit was something else. It wasn’t something extravagant, just a usual tux if you don’t pay attention, but MJ was betting that his suit only was more expansive than a brand new car. She also could bet that a certain ex-playboy billionaire got that for him.

She was aware of how she could find ways to make him fumble with himself as he looked for excuses to questions she could come up in an attempt to get a piece of his secret. 

Instead of interrogating Peter out of curiosity, or only for the pleasure of seeing him agitated around her, as Michelle looked at him, she could only focus on how that suit fit him so well, and how his hair was charmingly styleshed to showcase his curls.

“You look beautiful too.” MJ complimented back, because that was the only important thing she could say at the moment. 

Michelle was wearing high heels, making her clearly even more taller than Peter, and when they arrived at the dance, she wondered how he felt about that. It took only glance at his face for her to conclude that he didn’t care at all. More than this, she could see pride showing in his facial expression. 

Pride, because he had his arm interlaced with Michelle Jones at prom. Then, MJ realized she felt the exact same for holding Peter by her side at the school dance. 

Peter had asked her to be his date before he saw her under any kind of fancy dress-up. Michelle wanted to be his date even with him wearing a different nerdy science pun shirt almost everyday.

They deserved it, she concluded, to dwell in the fact that they looked hot.

Michelle had been to school dances before of course, and it didn’t take long for her to realize that this one was going to be the same. 

The event was going pretty much the same, but her experience wasn’t. And that was because she was laughing at Peter when they were sitting together, being by themselves, far from the crowd, and he started to flawlessly lip-sync to one Carly Rae Jepsen song. 

If anyone looked, it would be easy to follow Peter’s eyes, and to see how they would shine at every laugh coming from MJ, and how that act alone was more than enough for him to continue with whatever he was doing to make her happy.

It was different for Michelle, because for the first time she would feel embarrassed to see a couple making out, instead of only delivering a sarcastic comment. It wasn’t hard to notice that Peter also felt the same. And the reason she felt that way was because she had a date this time, someone to do that stuff with, and then every glance, and every little touch looked dangerous. As if anything could be enough, at any moment, to turn into something more.

Michelle wanted it to be more, she couldn’t lie to herself. She felt, or hoped, that Peter was in the same page with her, but she couldn’t be entirely sure. 

 

Peter was so careful, too careful, almost afraid, and she wondered why. Still, he seemed to gather the courage to ask her for a dance, a slow-dance.

_Proceed with caution, don't be dishonest_

Every step they took, and how they softly swayed to the song, was almost perfect. Michelle couldn’t help, but notice how he would get close, but not enough. 

It was as if Peter feared to get burnt for moving just a little bit closer, or as if he was trying to hide himself even though they were just a few inches apart.

MJ could guess why Peter was holding back, and that was all she could do, she could only guess, because it wasn’t her place to make up his mind. It was his secrets, and she wished she could tell him that it was okay, he could do whatever he wanted, but she held back too, just like him.

_I need you closer to love me harder  
Proceed with caution, face to face  
And touch me in a different kind of way _

At least, Michelle wasn’t afraid of getting burnt, and she also didn’t try to hide herself. Her feelings couldn’t be anymore obvious, she had already put her life on the line, and her cards were all exposed on the table.

Then, MJ realized that the only thing she didn’t leave clear was how Peter already had her heart in his hands for him to break. She hoped he wouldn’t.

Michelle was aware of how they were one step from getting to where they were destined to be, but she also knew it wasn’t her step to take. From the way she made the effort, even being taller, to rest her head on his shoulder as they slow-danced, MJ was sure that there wasn’t nothing more she could do.

She wasn’t the one hesitating, he was.

The same way Peter would hesitate in his steps while dancing, he was hesitating to make that one next step for them. MJ wondered if he wanted to take that step after all, at least someday, because she would wait, she didn’t know for how long, but she knew she would.

Michelle only hoped he wouldn’t be late, that it wouldn’t be too late.

_Proceed with caution, but don't make me wait  
Before too long it just might fade away  
Proceed with caution, caution, caution, caution, caution _

As they walked back home, enjoying every second together, taking advantage of a very beautiful night, MJ concluded that this was definitely going to end as one of her favorites nights of her life, and nothing could ruin this.

Michelle was proved wrong at the moment she noticed that her dress got mildly teared apart, and a bit of blood ran down her face from her forehead.

She was attacked. They were attacked. And with the dizziness that probably came from her head injury, she could barely hear an angry voice claiming revenge on a teenage boy, because that was who Spider-Man was, a boy.

MJ almost wanted to yell at Peter, blaming him for getting them into a mess during prom night, but then she figured it wasn’t a good idea to make jokes about that, since that was probably already a big complex for him. She didn’t need to hurt him even more with her snarky remarks. 

Her head was hurting, and the painful pounding was beginning to get unbearable. Then, Michelle started thinking about how her sister would be mad at her for destroying her fancy party dress, and after that, she couldn’t fake anymore, and she started to fear for her life. 

MJ’s eyes felt heavy, but she finally got to get a look at Peter, and she saw him shooting his webs, and she wondered from where he got his web-shooters from, making her realize that she knew a lot, but she didn’t know everything.

Michelle worried for him, because he had a suit, but it wasn’t the suit most suitable for a fight. 

Peter seemed to find a break, and he was seeing her struggling figure down on the ground, and he immediately went her way. He lifted her up, fitting her body on his, looking for a way to get her out of there. 

MJ had dreamed for a moment like this, to feel his embrace, his arms holding her, and they would gracefully swing around New York. She had hoped it would be romantic and fun, but right at this moment, she couldn’t afford to feel any of those things.

Peter had eyes that said he would save her. MJ met his eyes, and she had doubts, like they might not make it. 

 

The next thing thing Michelle saw was the ceiling of her bedroom, because that was the first thing her eyes could see right after they opened, and she already found herself in the safety of her home.

MJ could still feel the pounding in her head, and when she tried to get up, it got worse. Still, she went on, and she noticed how she was still wearing her tore dress, but her head injury seemed to have been treated, a white fabric being stuck to her forehead. 

At her living room, Michelle saw her sister passed out on the couch, clearly exhausted. She gently got the remote that was still being held by her hand, and turned off the TV that her sister left on as she fell asleep.

Back to her bedroom, MJ checked her phone, and she didn’t find any texts, or any missed calls. 

She tried to recall when she blacked out, and how she got safely at home, but nothing came to her mind, and once again her head was occupied by thoughts of Peter.

She held on her phone for dear life, and it finally buzzed.

[loser parker: i’m sorry]

Michelle expected for more texts, but time passed, and that was all.

At least he was alive, she comforted herself, and so she waited and waited for him. If he happened showed up, she had hopes they could end this night in a bittersweet way. 

The night went away, being finished only bitter, because she fell back asleep waiting, and he didn’t come.

 

The next day and night, MJ waited, and Peter didn’t come. 

At school, she couldn’t help but avoid him, and avoiding Peter was fairly easy when he was avoiding her too.

Michelle was worried, she was worried that he was going to be late, too late.

 

MJ had spent many nights waiting, and during the one she had decided to give up, she heard taps coming from her bedroom window.

Peter was back, and there he was, hanging upside down, as Spider-Man. 

Michelle felt butterflies in her stomach, they felt a lot like hope, and they hoped that he had finally figured it out, that he had made up his mind, for the better.

“You’re late.” She told him, because he had to know. 

“Am I too late?” Peter asked, and he desperately needed to know.

MJ couldn’t see his face, but his voice seemed filled with hope, probably the same kind of hope that filled her stomach with butterflies.

Michelle knew how she felt about Peter needing to take that next step, but right now, he was so close, and she only had to stretch her arms a little bit to reach his face. She couldn’t hold herself. And even though in her mind she felt desperate, when she found the edge of his mask her movements were calm and precise, and she softly pulled only enough to uncover his mouth and part of his nose.

_Never enough gimme your touch  
Don't wanna waste time _

With one hand on the window’s edge lifting herself up a bit, and supporting her torso on it, getting on her tiptoes to comfortably reach his lips, and to freely place one hand to the side of his face, Michelle kissed Peter.

It was so delicate, and she could almost see them as a twisted up version of Romeo & Juliet. That is if Juliet’s fancy balcony could turn into her big window and fire-escape, and if Romeo could turn himself upside-down supporting his body on a spider web.

MJ wasn’t counting, but she was sure it only took a second for him to kiss her back, and that was everything she ever wanted.

_You lift me up, give me that rush  
Tell me it's all mine _

They broke apart, and only then, Michelle finally answered him, “No.”

_I'll give up everything to be right where you are  
I'll follow you from here like you're the northern star _

With that answer, Peter allowed himself to enter her bedroom, crawling on the walls and ceilings, the same way he used to do when he wanted to enter his bedroom unnoticed before May knew about Spider-Man.

And talking about Spider-Man, he thought he heard some kind of muffled amused laugh coming from MJ as she watched him come inside her place.

Peter landed on the ground, and completely took off his mask, making Michelle’s heart skip a beat. She had missed him.

He looked around, and they both seemed to realize at the same time that it was his first time in her bedroom. It was their first time alone in a bedroom. And as much issues they had to discuss, they were still teenagers dancing around their hormones and awkward feelings.

Peter started to pace around her bedroom, taking a look, and that gave time for MJ to take a look at him, to observe his Spider-Man suit from up-close and with a decent lighting.

As she took the view in, she realized how real and palpable their feelings and worries are. It was almost as if everything they were careful, and scared about, could be embodied and represented by that spider emblem on his chest alone. 

Eventually, Peter seemed to come in terms with himself, and after nervously getting his hands through his hair for the tenth time, he spoke, “Hey, MJ.”

Michelle snorted, because she expected more than just a greeting, and his adorably nervous face was what stopped her from coming up with a sarcastic reply.

“Hey, loser.” She simply replied.

“I… uh, I think you know why I haven’t told you anything.” Peter tried. “I mean, a-after what happened that night.”

“I have a guess.” MJ said, and memories of being on the ground while hell went loose in front of her, flashed in her mind.

He dared to approach her, with small steps. “I…” He started, but stopped as he slowly moved his hand to touch her hair, moving one curl to the side, showing a faint mark of scar on her forehead. Peter softly caressed her scar with his fingertips, “I was scared because of this.”

She returned his touch, by placing her hand above his, and he continued, “Even before, I would look at you and I just couldn’t do anything. All I could think was how you were gonna get hurt because of me.” Peter scoffed, a bit bitterly, but still caressing that same spot on her forehead, “And that’s exactly what happened. I hadn’t even told you anything, about how I felt or...” He looked down, to his suit, and released himself from her gentle hold, slightly backing off. “or about this.”

Michelle missed his touch immediately. “Were you ever planning on telling me?”

“I was trying.” Peter answered. 

“Then tell me.” She dared.

_Do you want more? Can you commit to be my everything?  
Do you want more? Baby convince me with the words you sing  
If you wanna be more to me, you must proceed with caution _

“I’m Spider-Man.” Peter declared, and more confident now, approached her again, this time taking her hands in his. “And I like you. So much.” He kissed her hand, and looked up at her with his beading brown eyes. “I want to be with you, if you will take me. It’ s up to you.”

Michelle smiled so fondly, and she wanted to tease him for posing as such a gentleman. She looked at their hands together, and found how interesting was the contrast between her hands and his covered with the red fabric of his suit.

MJ closed her eyes for a second, and took a deep breath, taking his words in. Peter told her to take the wheel. She knew who he was, and what kind of trouble she might find herself into because of it. He gave up trying to make decisions for both of them, it was her choice too. 

“Of course I want to be with you too, you dork.” Michelle told him with humor. “I’ve been flirting with your for months if you didn’t notice.”

Peter released such a relieved and happy laugh. Her ears felt blessed at the sound, and her vision was blessed too at the sight of the crinkles around his eyes as he smiled so hard. 

“Thank God.” He exclaimed, and his hands were about to let go of her hands, to hold her face, for a kiss, but something interrupted them.

This time, it wasn’t his phone, but the sound of a police siren in the distance, and by the suddenly concentrated expression Peter had on his face, Michelle guessed he heard even more than her.

“I-I’m sorry, I gotta-” 

MJ didn’t let him finish in his awkward note, already feeling the apologetic tone in his voice. She interrupted him by throwing his once disposed mask at his way. 

With a smirk, she encouraged, “Go get them, tiger.”

Peter assumed a more confident aura as he wore an excited toothy grin. He replied her with a boyish wink full of expectations for the challenge he was running to right at this moment, and even more, expectations for the future with her. He jumped from her window, unapologetic, and as he was swinging in the direction of danger, he wondered about how movie nights were going to be from now on.

Michelle immediately looked out from her window, following his figure for as long as she could, wondering about the next opportunity they would have to be alone together. 

 

The couple had acted with so much caution for the longest time, but now they had a lot of time to make up for. And that was why, when her sister wasn’t home, MJ invited Peter to her place. 

To enter, this time, he knocked on the front door of her apartment, instead of sneaking into her bedroom by the window. 

As soon as Michelle opened the door, she grabbed on Peter’s sweater to pull him inside, also pulling him for a passionate kiss within a second. 

Only because she could.

_Proceed with caution, don't be dishonest_  
_I need you closer to love me harder_  
_Proceed with caution, face to face_  
_And touch me in a different kind of way_

**Author's Note:**

> (English is not my native language, so I apologize for any mistakes.)
> 
> Ever since the FFH trailer (you look pretty too *head tilt*), I'm loving to write MJ as super soft and in love.
> 
> I wrote about them going to prom because I was inspired by a tweet of beautiful and fancy Tom and Zendaya as Peter and Michelle at prom.
> 
> Leave me comments, they mean a lot to me!!! 
> 
> Find me on twitter: @lurKINGaroundd  
> And tumblr: @lurkingg-around
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!


End file.
